Michigan

Holmstrom draws officials' attention

AP PhotoDetroit's Tomas Holmstrom blocks the view of San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov to allow a Henrik Zetterberg goal last week.

DETROIT -- There are 29 starting goaltenders in the NHL who likely view Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom as the biggest annoyance in the league. The other one, Detroit's Dominik Hasek, believes the league's best net-front specialist is getting a raw deal from officials.

Holmstrom has had two goals disallowed this season on plays where the referee ruled he interfered with the goalie (in addition to one because of a premature whistle). The Red Wings are convinced that officials are keeping a closer eye on Holmstrom's activity around the crease. He already has a team-leading 20 penalty minutes, more than one-third of his total from last season (58).

"This is something I don't like," Hasek said. "I think Homer is doing a great job in front of the goalie. He's that kind of player. I don't know (why) they call interference on him because I can see from the other side (of the ice) his legs are not in the crease.

"Most of the time, I don't think he (does) anything wrong, just the referees call the penalties because other team is crying and talking to (officials). But, I think Homer has to continue to do what he does best. I think the referees can do a better job."

Holmstrom said he might need to set up shop a little further out than he normally does.

"Maybe I just got to step it out a little bit, like an extra one or two feet out of the crease to make sure," Holmstrom said. "One foot shouldn't be that big a difference."

Despite having an apparent first-period goal waved off on Saturday, the Red Wings capped a successful 3-1 road trip with a 5-2 victory over Phoenix. It was an important win for Hasek, who had lost his previous two starts.

"With the Red Wings, it's not acceptable to lose two or three games in a row. I needed a win," Hasek said. "Even when I lost two games in a row I didn't feel bad about myself. I knew I could play better, didn't feel I gave up too many bad goals, felt good in practice."

RED WINGS NOTES
Drake out: Forward Dallas Drake will miss at least two games due to a hairline fracture in his cheekbone, the result of a check into the glass by San Jose's Kyle McLaren on Thursday. He'll see a specialist again on Friday to determine his status for a three-game western Canadian trip that begins Sunday in Vancouver. General manager Ken Holland said no surgery is required.

The Red Wings placed forward Johan Franzen (sprained knee) on injured reserve, clearing a space for Igor Grigorenko, who'll join the team for practice today after being recalled from Grand Rapids (AHL). Franzen has resumed practicing with the team, but Holland said he won't return until sometime on the road trip, or the first game back, Nov. 7 vs. Nashville.

Grigorenko back: The Red Wings realize Grigorenko needs more time in the AHL, but their hands are tied, since he has the option to return to Russia if they try to keep him in Grand Rapids for more than three weeks. His agent, Mark Lapush, said on Monday that Grigorenko will not return to Grand Rapids at any point this season because he feels he belongs in the NHL.

Lapush said Grigorenko can return to Russia at any time this season because there is no transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. But, he claims that Grigorenko is committed to staying in Detroit.

"I asked him the other day, 'Igor, tell me the truth, do you want to go back to Russia?' '' Lapush said. "He said, 'No, Mark, I want to stay here.'"

Lapush was somewhat vague when asked if Grigorenko would still feel that way if he's not able to crack the lineup in Detroit, saying he's confident the 24-year-old forward will be playing.

New union leader: Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios said players will vote this week to formally approve the hiring of Paul Kelly as the NHL Players Association's executive director.

"The biggest thing for the players is trying to unite and get together on the same page, find out what our goal is as far as the union," Chelios said. "That's why we hired him, to give us some direction. We know he's a guy we can trust, he's got the best interest of the players union."

Chelios clarified a comment he made last week, when he said it was his opinion that agent Don Meehan played a role in undermining the union during the NHL lockout.

"I'm not accusing anybody of anything," Chelios said. "We have a lot of evidence, those e-mails are property of the NHLPA. It's up to the executive director and the executive board to decide whether someone acted inappropriately, and then we'll go from there."